Sanity's Redemption
by Aliet Faslami
Summary: Humanity has been on the verge of extinction for two millenia; ignorant of so much, dependant on so few. Of those few, there are those who are forced to serve humanity by the throw of an Ancient's dice. Fate is cruel to the IZ cast. Rating may change
1. Prologue

Hellooooooo! Tis me again! Yes, yes, save your naggings about finishing what you start. I know, I know. I have much work. But this begged to be written! It is set in the same SI/RP world, pretty much, as "Sword Of Damocles" and "Oregon Trek Of DOOM" so, read those for backstory.   
This little fic is an IZ/Eternal Darkness crossover. u.u Eternal Darkness is an awesome Gamecube game. Probably the best so far. Anyway.. Jhonen owns IZ stuff and the ED stuff belongs to Nintendo and Silicon Knights.  
  
  
  
  
  
Sanity's Redemption  
  
"Deep into that Darkness peering,   
long I stood there, wondering...  
Fearing...  
Doubting..."  
-Edgar Allen Poe  
  
  
How were any of us to know what would come? We were all so naïve then. Blind to what was happening, ignorant of the power around and in us all. It never touched us, never mangled or twisted our lives into horrible shapes. We never knew the truth.  
  
And we were happy.  
  
I shall never forget the day this all changed. How everything I knew, even fear itself, was changed in the light of our new knowledge. I wish I could forget. Let the memories drop away and vanish into the very Darkness which they sprung forth from. Let the horrors dissolve with the sanity, the sanctity of the light. Let the fear disappear into nothing, just as so many innocent lives had before we finally knew the awful truth of this planet, this plane.   
  
Knew its fate should we fail.  
  
"All the world shall be plunged into eternal Darkness! The Darkness is coming!"  
  
I have passed beyond fearing anything I once feared. I am stronger now, but I have paid the price. Truthfully, I would give anything to be ignorant and fearful again, rather than knowing and unafraid of the mundane. What has happened has changed my perception of the world so greatly, that I am almost unable to take pleasure in anything anymore. Nothing seems to help me forget the Darkness, the fear, the horrors I had both fought and seen. You would not recognize me now, had you seen me before all this. I fail to even know my own reflection in the mirror.   
  
Perhaps this will change you as it has me. I hope not. What has happened to me, to all those I love, should never happen to anyone. Why we were chosen for this madness, I cannot say. Some say there are no such things as coincidences, that we were meant to know fear, embrace death, and shape reality to our own little safehouses with our perception alone. What we once perceived safe and secure, things like faith, like home, were ripped apart and shown to be something sinister and unreal.  
  
Perhaps you will come to know fear as we do. Know the absolute, encompassing terror of being alone against a dark, almost unstoppable evil. One that only needs the thing you cherish above all else to enslave humanity and the other races of all planes. The fear of knowing that despite how strong you thought you were, nothing you can do is enough to stop this evil and save the only light left. The sheer terror of your perceptions being torn limb from limb beside your loved ones and allies. The horror of things that shouldn't be, things that you see only in your deepest, foulest nightmares, crawl about in living flesh and bone.  
  
And perhaps, just perhaps... you, like me, like those I love, will come to know the true frailty of said flesh, and said bone, before the revolting, overwhelming power of the Ancients.   
  
Perhaps you will come to know the Darkness, and perhaps it will destroy your life as well...  
  
-Tallest Purple  
Minister to the Great Ancient, Mantorok 


	2. It Will Damn You All

1  
"It's coming! It will DAMN YOU ALL!"  
  
Roivas Mansion, 2005, Earth  
  
"Someone remind me why we're poking around some dumbass human mansion? What is this? One of those stupid cartoons where humans solve mysteries and the other humans get pissed at them?"  
  
"Red, shut up."   
  
"Make me, DAAAAI!"  
  
For once, the group did not snap at the bickering between the two. Wind moved faintly through bare trees, causing finger-like branches to rub against one another with a slight creak. The sun was setting at their backs, throwing long, distorted shadows over dry, dead summer ground. Not a bird called, nor did any animal stir in the long grass overgrowing the thin pathway. The entire place felt dead, even to those who were not energy sensitive.   
  
Lynne shivered, rubbing her hands over her arms to warm herself from a chill that didn't seem to come from the environment. At her side, Zim marched smartly, glancing up at her every now and then to assure himself that she was not suffering greatly. Ahead of them, Jendai and Bast walked, Ivy between them. The child's head was down as she walked, keeping close to Bast. To their right was Purple, who fidgeted, jumping at every slight noise. At times he nearly careened into AF, and she would steady him, attempting to calm his panic. Red marched at the head of the procession, flanked by Tabby and Dib; the latter lugging all the paranormal gear he could. Bringing up the rear were Aubri and a more solemn than usual JC.   
  
A quiet fell over them as the quarrels ceased. There was a dark air about this place at the very edge of the city that seemed to drown out even the loudest conversation. Finally, as if to break the oppression of silence, Dib spoke up, walking backwards to face the shuffling band behind him.   
  
"This is prime paranormal phenomena territory!" he said brightly. "The mansion has a huge history of strange stuff going on!"  
  
"And I suppose YOU are going to bore us with a long description of every stinking human's footfall in this dwelling?" Zim snapped, folding his arms. "If so, silence yourself now, before I am forced to do so for you."  
  
Dib ignored him, mostly because there were those among them who would keep Zim from carrying out his threat. "It's been passed from generation to generation for over a hundred years, and each of the owners seem to have either left in a hurry or died mysteriously." He was in full-blown paranormal mode now. "The most recent was the grandfather of the previous owner, a guy named Edward Roivas." His voice took one a spooky quality, seemingly aimed at Zim. "He had the mansion back in 1952. Fifty years later, he was found murdered in the library, and no one ever found his head..."  
  
Instead of the effect he'd wanted, Dib earned only a frightened squeal from Ivy. The little Irken clung to Bast, her large green eyes wide with fear as she trembled. Bast narrowed her eyes, kneeling down to gather Ivy in her arms, trying to comfort the young child. "Quit scaring her, Dib," she said, her tone cool. "Otherwise we're going to sic GIR on you when we get back."  
  
"He should be quite energetic by then," added Zim, smirking evilly.  
  
"Knock it off, Zim." Jendai sounded irritated. "If I'm going to be wandering around in this place, I wanna know what we might run into, all right?" He waved to Dib. "What else happened?"  
  
"Well, Mr. Roivas's ancestor, Dr. Max Roivas, inherited the mansion back in 1760. He went mad, ranting about creatures in his servants' bodies, and killed them all before they locked him up in an asylum."  
  
Purple froze at that. "Killed... them... all? Creatures? What kind of place is this!?" he nearly shrieked, startling a lone crow from its hiding place in the long grass. The motion made him jump.   
  
"He was insane, Pur, calm down." AF gave him a tight, comforting hug. The Tallest relaxed, although his eye continued to dart in every direction. "And that's all, right Dib?"  
  
He rummaged through his gear, looking a tad embarrassed. "Eh, actually, no. The previous owner, Ms. Alex Roivas, also went insane after inheriting the mansion. She was staying here while the police investigated the murder of her grandfather. Two weeks after he died, she vanished. Three years later, she reappeared in the mansion, ranting about 'the Darkness' and how it was still coming. She's currently in an asylum herself while the mansion is abandoned." Dib looked up. "Oddly enough, both Dr. Max Roivas and Edward Roivas spoke of the same thing before they were either killed or went insane."  
  
There was more silence. No one seemed to have an answer to what Dib had revealed to them.   
  
"Hmmm... Alex... that's a nice name... I bet she was hot," Red muttered, gazing up at the dull orange sky as he walked. "Real hot."  
  
Well, almost no one.  
  
They were closer to the house now. It looked nothing like any of the other houses any of them had seen. It didn't look lived-in, cared for, didn't look loved. It looked like a discarded shell, sitting spitefully amidst a tangle of dying, unkempt vegetation. The paint was a dull, drab brown, almost the same color as the bark of the trees surrounding the place. It looked almost as if the house were trying to hide in its surroundings. Grimy windows stared out from the two floors, like pale eyes eyeing the unexpected visitors approaching. They stopped before the entrance, the double doors firmly shut as if to keep back the dust that had collected inside... or perhaps something worse than dust.   
  
"Why are we here again...?" JC asked timidly, staring up at the looming hulk of a house. An eerie feeling hung in the air close to it. "This place is... weird."  
  
Lynne rubbed her arms again, her gaze reverted to a dead tree near the path. "It's dead... everything is dead here..." She blinked. "Oh, um... we were bored, I guess..." Now she looked down at the dirt.  
  
"Well, Red wanted to go do something, and Dib was on his way out..." Aubri mused, shrugging. "Not like we had anything better to do at the base."  
  
"Not to mention GIR's ingestion of FAR too much sugar," added Zim, folding his arms again. "Would we have stayed there, we would all be insane by now."  
  
More silence fell. Without debating what to do, Red and Jendai stepped forward, pulling one of the heavy doors open. A stale smell emerged. Zim gagged while the others merely made faces at the smell before peering in. A small shaft of light spilled into the entryway from the opening, scaring the darkness of the room away. There was a faint scuttling noise in the dimness. Rats most likely, frightened minds reasoned. Flashlights were passed around, tested for usable batteries, then kept on and shone into the gloom. Cautiously, the group stepped into the foyer, some beams of light bouncing off the ceiling, others shone in enemies' eyes, and still others shone slowly around the large room, showing boarded windows, twin staircases, portraits and neglected, moth-eaten rugs.  
  
"This place is DISGUSTING!" Zim shouted, cringing away from the thick layers of dust. His shout echoed throughout the room. "Filthy HUUUmans!"  
  
Faintly, there was a noise, as if in reply to Zim's voice. No one could make it out, and it made a shiver run up their collective spines.   
  
"What... what was that!?" Purple was shaking, his anxious eyes resembling Ivy's in their positioning and width. "Is someone else here??" AF grasped his hand in comfort.   
  
"Couldn't be... probably just a rat... or bird... or something..." Jendai said quietly, examining the room carefully. His antennae were perked, twitching slowly. "Yeah..."  
  
"I say we all take some sensor gear and spread out," Dib broke in. He didn't even seem aware of the small drama that had taken place between a few members of the group. "I wouldn't go alone, not in a house with this history."  
  
"Groups of two or three then," Aubri nodded.   
  
The decisions were made quickly. Jendai, Bast and Ivy made up one group. Tabby moved slightly closer to Red. Zim and Lynne moved off to the side. JC pounced on Aubri. AF and Purple were together. This left Dib by himself. With a sigh, Aubri motioned him over to his group. After a brief discussion, they fanned out.   
  
In a few moments, they had dispersed themselves throughout what parts of the house were open to them. Red had managed to find the kitchen, to Tabby's dismay.   
  
"Red, come on. This house has been empty forever... I really don't think there's any food in that fridge," she said, examining dust-coated shelves. Cobwebs clung to the molded wood panels. The whole room felt as dead as the rest of the house. How even spiders could exist here, Tabby didn't know.  
  
There was a grunt of disagreement from the refrigerator. "I found some beer..." the Tallest said. He held a forlorn can aloft, sickly light from the windows glinting off its surface. The crack of carbonation escaping was loud in the room. "This counts as food." He took a long drink, kicking the door to the refrigerator closed behind him. "It's still good."  
  
Tabby sighed. She moved over to the kitchen table, brushing aside dust and bits of debris to make room for the device Dib had given her. It looked like a sensor of some kind. Probably to alert the kid to any phenomena occurring in this room. Tabby supposed he had a master control of some kind. After turning it on, she continued to scan the room, passing over the shelves and dirty china with the pale yellow beam of her flashlight.   
  
  
"Sorry, Dib. It's locked. I can't open it." Aubri grimaced and wiped his hands hurriedly on his pant leg. "Geh, it feels oily..."  
  
"What does?"   
  
He looked down at Dib, pointing. "The doorknob."  
  
"Hmm..." A pencil scribbled hastily against a notepad, then pushed glasses back up onto Dib's nose. "Interesting..."  
  
"Hey, guys... look at these paintings..."  
  
The two wandered over to where JC stood, gazing up at a haunted-eyed portrait of an old fashioned lady. Most of the painting looked dull and drab, matching the rest of the house, though her eyes sparkled with a hard radiance. Her hair was pulled roughly into an unkempt bun behind her head, giving her a wild look.   
  
"Her eyes follow you," JC murmured, moving her head from side to side.   
  
"Lots of pictures do that, JC..." Dib dismissed her with a wave of his hand, then began setting up his detector. "Like the Mona Lisa."  
  
She frowned. "This isn't like the Mona Lisa... this one... is spooky..." JC's words were spaced out as she moved her head. Then her eyes locked on one adjacent to it. "That one does too..." She scanned the line of portraits. "They all do..." Now she sounded scared.   
  
"Maybe the same artist painted them?" Aubri suggested, gazing at the paintings himself. They gave off a slightly disturbing feel. He looked away. "Done yet, Dib?"  
  
"Yep!"  
  
A small device was set down in the middle of the floor. Dib pushed a few buttons, then froze. The same noise everyone had heard upon their entrance once again whispered through the house. Exactly the same sound. "That's... that's some bird..." stammered JC, grasping Aubri's arm. "Yeah... a bird..."  
  
Aubri nodded. "Only a bird!" he said briskly, though it was obvious he was trying to be cheerful. "Probably has babies and it's feeding time. Let's keep looking around up here until someone needs us..."  
  
  
  
"I fail to see the importance of our being here, Lyn."  
  
"You're just saying that because it's so dusty..."  
  
"Hmpf... and I assume YOU are completely at ease here?" Zim folded his arms, keeping well away from any surfaces that might be dusty. "I saw you walking up here. You looked ill."  
  
Lynne paused, looking over at him from flipping through an ancient address book. They were in the lower foyer, their device already set up, and were waiting for the group to re-convene. "It doesn't have the best feel to it, Zim. That's all." She set the little book aside. "It's so dead here..." Her gaze fell to the floor. "Sing or something... just make some noise."  
  
"Sing what?" The Invader scanned a portrait absently.   
  
"I don't know... anything."  
  
Zim sighed, then quietly hummed an Irken song he'd forgotten the words to. He remembered the tune, just not the lyrics. He could see Lynne relax at the mere sound of a musical tone. He had to admit that this humming was rather soothing. Any noise familiar in this dim human house was a comfort. Lynne sat in one of the window seats, listening to him and allowing her mind to wander to safer places. Faintly, through the secure sound of Zim's humming, a whisper of warning.   
  
"Shutthedoorclosethedoorlockthedoor..."  
  
Lynne went rigid, an icy shiver coursing down her spine. What had that been? Door...? What door? She must have been visibly frightened, as Zim stopped humming. "Lyn? What is it? You look ill again?"  
  
"Didn't you hear it...?"  
  
"No..." Zim shook his head. "Hear what?"  
  
She stood, her eyes flicking through the huge room. Now there were only the sounds of the upstairs group and Zim's footsteps. No whispers of a door. No eerie voices. Nothing. "Never mind, Zim..."   
  
Contact-covered eyes looked up at her, scrutinizing. "While you were dreaming, I made a discovery." He held up a key, gold and intricately made. Odd designs that looked as if they were meant to be some form of rune were etched into the sides. "It was behind that clock on the table," Zim said, gesturing in said table's direction. "I assumed you might know what it would be used for."  
  
Lynne shook her head. "I don't know..."   
  
"I overheard those upstairs complaining about some locked door. Perhaps this is the key they seek?"   
  
'Lock the door...' She cringed away from the key, staring at it as if it were the source of the hissed warning that had echoed in her ears. It stayed in Zim's open palm, silent, cold; a normal key with faded gold glinting in the light of her flashlight. "I... I.. put it back, Zim..."   
  
"You're shaking."  
  
"I know... just put the key back... all right?"  
  
"Are you ill?"  
  
"No... just... bad energies."  
  
"I'll put it back."  
  
  
  
Of all places in this house, he should have felt safe here. It was a library after all. Rows and rows of dusty books bathed in amber light from a generator that shouldn't have been working after so many years. The one place in this house that he'd been in so far that did not feel completely dead, but seemed to pulse with an unnatural life. More than likely, it was this unnatural life that made him more nervous. He had a theory where this life came from, but was not eager to put it to the test.   
  
"Dib should have come in here..." AF muttered, staring at the books. "Aliens... ghosts... unexplained phenomena... pyramids... the Inquisition... Heh. Salem witch trials." The last volume was pulled from the shelf, accompanied by a shower of dust. She sneezed. "Gods... least that Alex person could have done was hire a decent housekeeper... I hate dust." As if to spite her, more dust flew out from the pages as she turned them.  
  
"It's not the dust that worries me..."  
  
She looked up at Purple. "You're worried about ghosts, aren't you?"   
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Don't worry. I don't think there's anything in here. This is a library. Libraries are more or less safe." Her gaze was back on the shelves now. " 'The Demon and The Khmer'? What the hell..?"   
  
Before she could pick that book up, the Tallest spoke up. "But this is where that guy was killed..." Panicked purple eyes flicked wildly around the room, as if expecting either the ghost of Edward Roivas or his killer to spring out and turn him into a ghost as well. He jumped when AF hugged him.   
  
"It's okay. We have Dib's device thing. If anything, it'll scare the ghost off."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"It makes a weird enough noise..." she said, releasing him. "Come on, let's set it up. It'll scare all those ghosts away."  
  
He actually smiled, though it was a fearful smile. The device was set on the floor, after a small spot was brushed clear, and the correct buttons were pressed to activate it. Indeed, a small whirr sound was emitted. It was odd, but Purple had his doubts that it truly would frighten away a tormented human specter. He felt nervous with little Ivy in anyone's care save his or Red's. Even with his best friend to protect her, he was still uneasy. In a place such as this, one could never be too careful with children, especially those who shouldn't have been here in the first place. A shiver ran down his spine. Even without senses like Lynne or Aubri or even Ivy, he could feel how dead this place was.   
  
During his short time thinking, AF had wandered back to the bookshelves and was now flipping through a blank one. "Why would someone have a blank book...?" she asked him, scanning yellowed pages. "It doesn't make any-wait... 3 3 3...?"  
  
"What?"   
  
She held the book so he could see. "That's all that's written... three threes." In shaky blue ink, were scrawled the numerals. "No, wait, it's a time... Three thirty-three... I wonder what it means."  
  
His reply was cut off by three screams. Two, high-pitched and female, the other lower-pitched and male.   
  
Those three cries were followed closely by the pounding of many pairs of feet, the sound of the feet beginning almost before the echoes of the screams had died in the suddenly heavy air. Doors were flung open, names called out, the voices worried that something awful had befallen the three screamers. Every member of the group who had not screamed ran to aid those who had. Fear was abandoned in the need to protect those in danger. The dining room doors were forced open, the would-be rescuers brandishing what makeshift weapons they could find. What they were faced with caused them all to halt. Frozen in place as if some unseen gorgon had gazed upon them and turned them to unfeeling stone.  
  
Bast, Jendai and Ivy stood, equally frozen, though their immobility was due to both horror and revulsion, before a corner of the room. The Irken mechanic stood before Bast, who held Ivy close to her, trying to shield her from some unspeakable sight. In her arms, the child trembled violently, her green eyes fathomless and filled with absolute fear. Bast's face was sheet white, her own eyes closed tightly. In front of them, Jendai stared, unable to look away from the terror, but equally disgusted.  
  
"Ivy!" As usual, Red was the first to find his voice. "Ivy! Did that slarking Student hurt you?" He strode forward, arms outstretched to take her away from Bast's protection. It was then he caught sight of what had terrified them so. "OH MOTHER OF IRK!!" His face paled, and he stepped back, looking ready to become reacquainted with the beer he'd drunk. There was a thud as Purple fainted, followed quickly by a cry from Lynne and sickened silence from the rest.   
  
A young woman, dressed in casual clothes, her face contorted and swollen, hung by a thick cord from the ceiling, swinging slightly in the still air.  
  
There was no telling how long they stood there, unable to find the ability to move their petrified limbs in any direction that could have taken them away from the gruesome sight. Every pair of lips were still, though soft noises of fear were issued from many throats. Finally, Aubri beat off his revulsion, forcing himself to speak. "We... should probably get her... down.. or something..." he said slowly.  
  
"I'm NOT touching THAT!" Red half shrieked, gesturing wildly at the hanged man. "It's HUMAN!" The disgust was obvious on his face, though it was apparent it was more towards the dead body, than its humanness.   
  
Grimly, a few with stronger stomachs stepped forward, trying to determine the best way to cut the woman down from the rope while everyone else stayed back. Tabby dragged a chair over, Aubri searched for scissors, Jendai attempted to prepare himself for the task and Dib... Dib wished fervently for Gaz to appear at the door and take his place. The items were, at length, located, their finders bringing them nervously forth. Being the least squeamish, Tabby mounted the chair, coming to stand only a few inches away from the corpse. Below her, Dib's hands shook on the chair, his eyes wide behind the glasses. He could deal with most things others considered repulsive. But, ghosts were one thing... hanged corpses were another. Under the body, Jendai and Aubri waited tensely for Tabby's scissors to do their work, dropping the body down to them. They were merely there as a precaution in case the woman was still alive.   
  
As Tabby's scissors neared the rope, another scream tore through the air. The four heads whirled towards their audience. JC was sheet white, her face matching those around her, her equally pale hand pointing at the body.   
  
And to everyone's horror, it began to move.  
  
The rope creaked as a bloated arm was raised, limply gesturing out the door they'd entered by, towards the foyer. There were stifled screams from those who were known to still be living. Sounds ceased as the head, face blotched purple from suffocation, rolled to the side, then lifted. Blonde, sweat stained hair was matted into a shallow gash running the length of her temple, dry blood crusting her once-pretty face. Her eyes, a dark, undeterminable color, flashed brightly, their whites unaffected by her death. The dead woman gazed at them all, seemingly in pity, before her distended lips parted in a whisper.   
  
"The Darkness is coming... be cautious... it is coming."  
  
With that, her head dropped back against her chest, her arm falling limply at her side. She was once again dead. Still and lifeless as the house she hung in. Silence filled the room, some unidentifiable emotion hinting at the edges of it.   
  
"So, you came back to warn them. I knew that simply severing your spirit from your flesh was not enough. Damn your line..." a new voice, a strong, compelling voice, echoed from somewhere in the room. There was an odd quality to it that made antennae shiver and hair stand on end. It was a voice of power, one that was used to being obeyed, yet was not above taking orders from one obviously superior to it. "Whenever will I learn to FINISH the tasks I begin?"  
  
A pulsating orb of three colors glided slowly around the hanged woman. Tabby leapt in reverse, brandishing her scissors like a rapier. Jendai stumbled backwards into Aubri, who was already carefully gathering what energy he could from the surrounding area in case his talents were needed. Dib was the only one who remained frozen to the spot; having to be dragged back by Tabby when the orb moved too close to his overly-large head for comfort. Seeing their retreat, the orb slid easily through the large crowd of people and Irkens, studying them. It paused before the petrified Ivy, the glowing green, red and blue light from it spreading almost darkly across her young face. Almost hesitantly, it approached her, its light and strangeness dazzling the child into immobility.  
  
Red was the only one who found his sanity in time to act. Snatching the scissors from Tabby, the Solider Tallest swung them in a swift, downward arc, the blades opened slightly to inflict damage. Before his weapon could connect, the orb fired a blast of blue-colored energy. It connected with Red's chest instantly. He was sent reeling back into the crowd, his eyes glazed, staring at nothing. Tabby caught him.   
  
"You fool. Did you really think a mere tool would do me any harm? I am beyond harm by any weapon you can fashion," the same voice laughed, this time emanating from the orb. "I hope that teaches you a lesson. Do not meddle in the affairs of things you cannot even begin to comprehend." The orb "turned" back to Ivy, humming now, the glow from it growing brighter.  
  
Beyond fear, Ivy fought the lead forming in her legs, turning to flee to the closest point of safety. Sometime during this whole affair, AF had knelt behind Purple, supporting him, protecting him. He was half-conscious, sitting up only due to the fact he leaned against her. Ivy ran to him, burying her face in his chest armor, as if trying to vanish. The orb shot up behind her, glowing triumphantly, then zipped away, repelled by an unseen force.   
  
A faint purple aura now surrounded the little group of three, preventing the orb from touching them. It hummed at the edges of it, trying to fight through it, only to be easily deterred. "Mantorok!" it hissed. "How is it your power still lives!? Your essence was destroyed!" More agitated humming. "No matter! Mantorok's power will not protect you for long, child! Sooner or later, your flesh and bone will fail and you shall know the power of Augustus!"   
  
In a flash, the orb was gone, leaving the group shocked beyond all comprehension of even the smallest fact. 


	3. Open The Door

2  
Open the Door  
  
"Is he alive!?"  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
"He's breathing."  
  
"Damnit Red! Wake up!"  
  
"Gods! Tabby! Hitting him isn't going to work!"  
  
"It MIGHT.!"  
  
Despite their best efforts, Red had still not awoken from his bout with the orb. Tabby had dragged him out into the foyer, following the rest of the group. No one had really recovered from the scare, save the female Avitar. Purple, like his co-ruler, was still unconscious in the arms of AF, though the Faslami was using more gentle methods of awakening than Tabby. Her frightened tears still staining her face, Ivy clung to Bast, who, in turn, held both the child and her fiancé close to her. Off in the corner, Zim marched protectively around Lynne, a lazer out to guard his friend against any other such attacker. Trying to seem unfazed by the events, Dib typed furiously on his laptop, cataloging every detail of what had happened. Aubri sat in the center of the room, his hands folded under his chin, JC next to him, her eyes glazed from fear.  
  
"She just. APPEARED!" Jendai babbled. He kept repeating the same phrases over and over again until they blended together. It was this that Dib was cataloging. As he had not been there to witness the "appearance" of the hanged girl, he was forced to rely on the testimony of a nearly hysterical Irken. "We. we turned around and POOF! She just appeared.!"  
  
"We should leave," murmured Lynne. Her gray eyes jerked towards any movement in the room, tracked it, and then dropped to the floor before her. "Let's go! Let's just get out of here before." She trailed off.  
  
Zim watched her. One of his contacts had fallen out of his eyes, becoming lost in the room with the dead girl. The Invader's nervousness about the fact was obvious, but so was the reluctance to return to that room, lest the body move or the orb return. It gave him an interesting appearance, one red eye glowing faintly, while the other glanced around worriedly. "I think that is a very. very wise idea," he said, never ceasing in his pacing. "Very wise indeed."  
  
"That's the best idea anyone's had today!" JC shouted. She jumped up from Aubri's side, sprinting toward the door before anyone could stop her. Those who were awake watched her frantic attempts to pull the doors open for a moment before Jendai could gather what wits he still had and aid her. Her breath came in little gasps as she both pushed and pulled on the door that was over twice her size. A level of tension settled into the room as, despite her efforts, nothing happened. The hinges refused to relinquish their hold on the door. At length, JC collapsed on the floor, her eyes white-rimmed.  
  
"JC!" Bast, Ivy still clutched in her arms, rushed to her friend. "JC! What. are you okay?"  
  
"It. it's. locked."  
  
"What!?"  
  
There were a number of equally incredulous shouts from the others. A stampede of those still fit to stand attacked the offending door. Not even their combined efforts of the entire group could force it from its secure position in the wall. Yet, they refused to acknowledge the simple truth. Even the most advanced of their brains did not yield to the fact that they were locked in this horrible place of death and fear.  
  
Eventually, their strength exhausted, they retired to the musty window seats, debating if it were possible to break the glass. No one wanted to stay after dark with only the vague comfort of flashlights. However, after the Irkens' attempts were so easily defeated by the bizarre glass, all hope of escaping before the encroaching night swallowed the house completely.  
  
"YOU STUPID, SLARKING HUUUUMAN GLASS!! IF YOU DEFY THE ATTEMPTS OF ZIM ONCE MORE, I SHALL RETURN WITH. WITH. with. A HAMMER!"  
  
"Zim, take a breather. If you pop a vein, there's nothing stopping Dib from using you as an autopsy subject."  
  
"Yeah Zimmm. Better calm down. otherwise."  
  
"CEASE YOUR INSUFFERABLE NOISE!"  
  
Smirking, Dib emptied his pack, scattering paranormal gear across the dust- strewn floor. Gadgets not even Zim had ever seen glinted in the light of the dying sun. None of them gave off any light, save Dib's laptop, to see by. Both unconscious Tallests were moved, Red onto the seat and Purple just below him on the floor. Lynne and Aubri went over to them, examining them, to ensure that death had not already claimed either one. Purple was on the verge of waking, while Red showed no signs of stirring. He laid on the window seat, pale, his eyes half open, with only the faintest glimmers of life.  
  
"Now what?"  
  
No one was sure who spoke those words at the time. No one answered, so it was impossible to guess who had spoken. "We should keep watch," said Aubri, after what seemed like hours had passed. "That way, we conserve light."  
  
"We are most certainly NOT spending a night in this WRETCHED excuse for a human habitation, Aubri-STINK!"  
  
"If you have a better idea, Zim, let us hear it," muttered Jendai, leaning his head back against a wall. His eyes were shut and Bast was in his arms. Every so often, his lips moved, without sound coming from them, a silent plea for help to a goddess who delighted in nothing more than making his life miserable.  
  
"Yeah. maybe someone'll come by in the morning. and they can open the door from the outside." Dib added, glancing up from his laptop. "Did anyone bring a phone.?"  
  
Eyes darted around the room, meeting with the same disagreement. "Who would we call.?" Lynne asked. "Kidk and Kat? They're not home. they went. they went out buying instruments together. There's no one left." She sat huddled in the window near Red's feet, looking absolutely dejected. Zim hovered near, hands lingering where, in the past, there had once been a lazer safely tucked away in its holster. Now there was nothing to reassure him, save his own abilities and those of his companions; neither option gave him much comfort. Absently, Lynne grasped his shoulder, staring fixedly at a spot on the faded fabric of the seat. He glanced up at her and obediently climbed into the seat beside her, sending poisonous glares in the direction of anyone who dared look at him.  
  
"The library!"  
  
"What?"  
  
AF blushed faintly in the pale light. "When we came in. the library had power," she said, her confidence in her statement growing as she continued to speak. "We didn't even need our flashlights. We could move in there. and have someone keep watch out here. in case someone comes up the walk outside."  
  
It took a moment for the idea to settle on the rest of the group. A few nodded, while others stayed sullenly silent, not daring to vote one way or the other.  
  
"But isn't that." JC began, and abruptly quieted herself.  
  
Dib nodded. "What other chance do we have?" he murmured, a few keys clicking on his laptop. The screen reflected eerily in his wide glasses.  
  
"Your pathetic WHINEY tone makes our situation appear far more dire than it truly is, Dib-larva," snapped Zim. He folded his arms superiorly. "Moving to a library holds no more meaning than if we were moving to a kitchen! Not to mention the room in question is lit, whereas, this one is not. Therefore, moving to a LIGHTED room proves to be the more logical solution. That is. if your gargantuan head of SMELL doesn't block out all the light to begin with." The Invader's statement would have been far more effective had he not thrown the insult in at the end.  
  
Yet, something in this little monologue must have moved them, for Lynne crawled off the window seat and got to her feet. Bast stood next to her, supporting her with one arm while still carrying Ivy in her other. She shook her head, and Bast quietly left her alone. "We'll go to the library," she murmured, her voice low, almost hesitant. It was if she dreaded a room without windows more than a foyer without light.  
  
The others followed her lead, carrying the half-dead Soldier and supporting Purple. Each footfall sounded hollow. It was their trust in the abilities of their leader, rather than the idea that the library actually might be a sanctuary, that kept their feet moving across the old floor. Lead seemed to form in their legs with every step as an unreal fear of the darkening room behind them set into their brains. There was nothing there, logic declared. Nothing there but cobwebs, dust, shadows and strange whispers that filled their hearts with dread. Lynne was the first to the door. Only distance hid the trembling of her hand as it came to rest on the ornate, brass doorknob. In her head, like an echo of some event so far in the past that it was as faded as a dream, she could hear the bizarre voice again.  
  
"Shutthedoorclosethedoorlockthedoor."  
  
Abruptly, she pulled her hand back, retreating a step from the offending door. Could this be the door.? No, it couldn't be. Others had been here before her-and they had emerged perfectly unharmed. How could a door be treacherous?  
  
"Lynne?"  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
Something tugged on the leg of her pants. She almost screamed, until the top of Zim's head came into view. The sight of the small, green alien calmed her quickly. He seemed to be the only one who had not lost his mind in this place. "Lyn? Lyn! Hey! HEY!" he waved his arms in the air, trying to attract her attention as best he could. "Lyn! What is the matter? Are you ill?"  
  
"I'm fine." she said quickly, reaching out for the knob. Her breath caught in her throat, but the door slid open on rusted hinges. "I'm fine," she said again, her eyes half shut and her fists clenched. "I'm fine."  
  
The group streamed into the library, their wide eyes drinking in the warm, comforting light. Red was hastily set in a convenient armchair near a fireplace, for, despite his appearance, he weighed a considerable amount when a deathlike flaccidity governed the movement of his body. All color had drained from his face. Every so often, tremors raced through him, sometimes ejecting him from the chair.  
  
They had set little Ivy in the chair with him, both as a comforting presence and as a weight against the tremors. She clung to him, burying her face in his shoulder. Tabby sat on the arm of the chair, looking down at him with a concern she usually declined to show others. More awake now, Purple hovered around the chair, watching the other Tallest for a moment before moving quickly down the shelves of books, as if there was something of medicinal value among the volumes dedicated to studies that not even Dib had heard of. The big-headed child had found an outlet for his laptop and was busily adding information on his favorite subjects from various books he'd found. He acted as if the ailing Irken and their current predicament was of no concern to him, which suited most people just fine. At the fireplace, Bast and AF struggled to create a warming fire. Normally, such a thing would not have been a problem, but with the lack of any fuel, not even the Faslami could coax a flame to blossom. Bast chewed her nails, watching her friend's efforts. Finally, AF gave up, thwacking the side of the fireplace in frustration. Above her, a shotgun rattled in its mountings.  
  
Zim snickered from the door. Beside him, huddled in the corner, Lynne didn't have the energy to lecture him. Noticing her failure to reprimand him, the Invader fell silent. Minutes passed, wordless, soundless, and agonizing. This was more than certain parties could take. JC burst out in a song, not really knowing what she was singing or why. She had to do something, lest her mind go numb along with her legs. She was joined by Jendai, whose head was resting miserably against his knees. His tenor sounded lost. Seating himself a fairly distasteful distance from Dib, Aubri had hijacked a few of the little saucer-chaser's books. Aubri was the only one, save Dib, who didn't act afraid or concerned about their situation. Exhausting his interest in Dib's books, he began to poke around in the old library, his attention being drawn most keenly by a stopped grandfather clock.  
  
"Perhaps the door would be more forgiving to Irken methods."  
  
The sudden statement made everyone look up, and caused Red to have another spasm. If he had been conscious, Zim would be given a hefty bruise, courtesy of Red's rather sturdy fist.  
  
"Not to mention we had decided to post a watch," the Invader mumbled, getting to his feet. He kept up a front of self-preservation, although those who knew him closely were able to see the cover-up. "I do not wish my amazing self to perish here, simply because we failed to keep a responsible lookout on the road to this place." With that, he departed, careful to close the door behind him. Lynne started to go after him, her eyes huge with concern. More minutes ticked by with no result, neither for the positive, nor for the negative. Zim's footsteps echoed outside the door as he paced back and forth in an easy, regular pattern.  
  
The pattern suddenly ceased.  
  
It was replaced with hasty, scampering steps. Hope soared in some, while fear festered, unclean, in others. Those who feared were soon rewarded, as Zim came tearing back into the room, terror written plain on his pale face.  
  
"SHUT THE DOOR!"  
  
Lynne was on her feet in an instant, followed hastily by Bast. The two of them slammed into the door at almost the same instant, their fingers fumbling for a lock of some sort. Something strained against them, its claws scrabbling on thick wood paneling. The sound only added to their panic, helping them redouble their efforts. Tabby was soon with them, striking at a strange, withered hand that had wormed its way through the space between door and frame. The scissors Red had never let go of were in her hands. Lynne lost her resolve at the sight of the apparition. It was only when someone screamed in the background that she seemed to wake, pushing against the door with renewed resolve. A gurgling shriek from the owner of the hand told them Tabby's scissors had finally met their target, as did a few severed fingers and a spray of black blood. The door was forced shut at long last, separating them from their attacker.  
  
Yet, understandably, the thin divide of wood and plaster did little to assuage the panic riding in their hearts. Red was hurriedly dragged from his chair, placed as far from the door as possible. Everything that was mobile was piled in front of the door for added protection with frantic cries of direction. There was a splatter of something from outside, followed quickly by muted footsteps of more unseen things arriving. A low moan drifted into the room, speeding the racing of the pulses in the room.  
  
Bast let loose with a stream of nervous cursing, clinging to the arm of her fiancé, ears flat and the fur on her tail fluffed out. Back to the solid, comforting brick of the mantle, Lynne numbly wiped blood from her face. It reeked of rotten flesh. She was quietly ill in the cold fireplace.  
  
"What. Zim what was out there.?" Dib was the only one to find his voice.  
  
The Invader had lost his other contact, as well as his wig in his mad dash back to the library. Fortunately, Dib seemed not to notice. Their situation had become too perilous for him to think of things other than survival now. "I. human." Zim murmured, his red eyes filling his face, swallowing it up with his own fear. "It was. a human. rotten. and.. and still walking." He looked unwell. "I thought you pathetic creatures STAYEDINTHEGROUND when deceased!" An uncharacteristic flash of panic splayed across his features. Under any normal circumstances, his nemesis would have pounced on this moment of naked vulnerability.  
  
"Zombies!?"  
  
"If that is what deceased, walking and ROTTEN humans are called, then yes! Zombies!" Irate, Zim's "s" sounds came out in a form of threatening hiss. Dib backed off instantly. His hands dug feverishly through his bag as he murmured to himself, cursing his "obvious idiocy" for not bringing along a vial or two-or more-of holy water, just in case such a situation arose.  
  
No one commented on the fact that being locked in a strange house with a hanged woman, a speaking ball of light, and having Red fall into such an ill condition was something none of them had been prepared for either.  
  
A few had stood up, pacing fearfully about the room. Outside, the noise of scrabbling claws had grown louder, more ominous with each passing moment. Tabby clung to the scissors, her eyes constantly darting between the door and Red. Purple had fainted again when the hand had come through and was now under the protection of a diminutive fire spirit whose eyes were fixated on the portal to a fairly horrific end. Zim frantically dug through Dib's possessions, then began berating the human boy for neglecting to bring anything that might have been considered a weapon. Dib shot a few scorching insults back in response, trying to pack up all the equipment Zim had thrown out to protect it from the creatures beyond the door.  
  
"Over here!"  
  
The sudden shout snapped everyone-save the bickering duo-to attention. Aubri, who had not spoken since the incident with the hanged woman, which now seemed like ancient history, was standing beside another fireplace. This hearth was at the far end of the room, much larger and dominating than the first. A large piece of hinged metal was in Aubri's hands.  
  
"The flume is open," he said, slowly and calmly. His tone was almost balm to the most terrified souls. To see someone, anyone act so unruffled and rational in this bizarre situation gave their sagging spirits a minor boost. "We can get out if we can climb through the chimney."  
  
"AUBRI!" JC fairly shrieked. She jumped up from her defensible position behind a toppled end table and flew over to him, practically smothering him in a grateful embrace. "I knew you'd think of something, Damocles buddy!"  
  
There was a significantly less ecstatic reaction from the others of the group.  
  
"I am NOT clambering through a FILTHY human chimney chute!"  
  
"I'd have to leave my laptop!"  
  
"I can't. climb."  
  
"I'm not leaving Red here alone!"  
  
"And I'm not leaving Purple either."  
  
An audible crack from the door silenced all cries of protest. Long, serrated gashes were appearing in the wood. Those in the room scrambled back further from the door, their recently voiced complaints disappearing as fear took hold in their minds once more, rooting deeply and sprouting.  
  
Aubri sighed. "Here's an idea. I'll go. I'll look for Kidk and Kat."  
  
"What about the police!? Or the army!?" Dib squeaked, his fear raising his voice octaves beyond his usual range.  
  
"Who's more likely to believe me, and then come help? Officer or Sergeant Joe? Or people who actually know we're not just a bunch of kids imitating television?"  
  
The rebuke silenced Dib quickly.  
  
"Anyone who wants to come help, can." With the offer still hanging in the air, Aubri began climbing carefully into the soot-encrusted chimney, and out to what was hopefully freedom. A shower of black powder marked his progress upwards. JC stood nearest the hearth, watching the accumulation of the black dust on the floor with purposeful concentration. Lynne, propelled by Zim, approached her, obviously wanting to take up on the offer of escape. Jendai followed suit, carrying Bast who was, in turn, holding Ivy. How the werecat was to climb holding the Irken child was a mystery to those in the room, yet no one thought to question her. Dib was last, lugging his heavy bag with him. More furniture was hastily thrown in front of the door to buy time, and Tabby kept snapping the scissors open and then closed again, in an impatient manner. Those staying had adequate ways to protect themselves and the two unconscious Tallests.  
  
JC leapt back from the fireplace, shouting. Seconds later, a myriad of dilapidated and crumbling bricks rained down, showering everyone within a few feet of the fireplace with dust and soot. Ivy screamed before Bast could shield her from too much of the debris.  
  
"Aubri!?" Lynne cried, her eyes larger than ever before.  
  
There was no answer from above. Fearing the worst, Lynne wrenched herself from Zim's hold. Her hands tore feverishly through the piles of bricks. JC knelt beside her, helping dig. After a minute, they stopped, defeated. There were small, dark splatters of blood on some of the bricks, incriminating proof of what they feared. Glancing up, they saw the pile had not only crushed their friend, but had blocked the exit as well. Their small hope of escape had been dashed to death on bloody bricks.  
  
More cracks were emanating from the door. Panic ensued as a gruesome head pushed its way into the room, no more than a rotted skull, the skin pulled tight over the bone. The hollow sockets of its eyes oozed with what had once been eyes. The horror of this apparition froze nearly everyone to their spots, as if by standing still they could avoid being seen by the nonexistent eyes. It saw them nonetheless, a horrific grin forced across its face by unseen muscles. The smell of decomposing flesh wafted into the room with it. Terror blinded even those whose eyes were still in working order. The crack widened as the form pulled itself through the door with arms that should not have worked for such a gross lack of flesh. What flesh there was hung from the bones like garish leaves from a tree preparing for winter sleep.  
  
This was what had confronted the little Invader in the foyer, this living nightmare of reanimated flesh and bone. Now that it was before them, appearing in the light for all to see, they were helpless, shivering with dread at the sight of such a violation of all things natural.  
  
And then Red awoke. 


	4. Walk In The Dark

Note: In order to really understand all the connections, you'd have to be in our RPG; however, to get an idea, I recommend reading the Kaalae stories "Collateral Damage" and "Aftermath", as well as "Oregon Trek Of DOOM" by Maniacal Dragon. Also, "Sword of Damocles" is a good resource for characters and their connections.   
  
Big thanks to Kat23a for her help on the end of this!  
  
  
  
3.  
  
Walk In The Dark  
  
Moving swifter than anyone thought he could have, the Tallest plucked the gun from the wall, pumped it once, took aim and fired, a feverish light coming into crimson eyes. Shots rang out, crisp, clear, in the tense air. The creature whined, blood exploding outward from two new holes in its gruesome, rotten head. Its neck twisted as brittle vertebrae snapped under the impact of the bullets. Giving a guttural moan, it fell forward, landing on the very wound it had created in the secure door. Almost instantly, it was pulled away, and the sounds of things eating filled the air with noisy slurps.   
  
  
  
Someone threw up. Two more lunches followed suit, staining the carpet as well as the air.   
  
  
  
Coolly, Red approached the hole in the door, the bizarre glow still gracing his eyes. He pumped it a few more times, firing a round after each pump. Hoarse cries filled the air as those feeding were slain. No emotion registered on the face of the Tallest, a fact which disturbed those of the group who had seen him shoot. Normally, a manic grin filled his face, and he laughed wildly, enjoying every moment of it. Now, his movements were mechanical, as if he lacked all semblance of free will.   
  
  
  
Silence fell, broken only by muffled sobs from an unidentifiable corner of the room. Red turned to face them. There was nothing in his eyes now, only blank, dull reflections of the faintly buzzing lights. He took a shuffling step towards the fireplace, where Bast still stood, clutching little Ivy, her knuckles yellow where bone showed through the skin. Then, dropping the gun with a resounding clatter, he fell to his knees. The child cried out, reaching for him, wanting his comfort for reasons unknown to any other party in the room. She fought free of Bast's arms and rushed to him before he collapsed fully, lying like a fallen soldier turned rag doll on the moth-eaten carpet. Her hands shaking, the child lifted his head, staring into closed eyes with an expression of horror not unlike that of Tabby's.   
  
  
  
And the stillness once again howled in their brains, drowning out rational thought in favor of simply making noise to fill the oppressive void.   
  
  
  
"Is he…"  
  
  
  
"He can't be!"  
  
  
  
Tabby flung herself down next to the prostrate Tallest, shaking him wildly. She got no response other than Ivy pulling away from the body. A sick loathing filled her, mingled with a fear sharper than the scissors she continued to clench in her fist. Haltingly, Lynne knelt by her side, placing her hands over Red. Her eyes were closed for a long, tense while.   
  
  
  
"He's dead."  
  
  
  
The child did not cry, scream, or clutch at him. She sat still, at his side, her wide, innocent eyes glazed. In direct contrast, Tabby flung herself at a wall of books, clawing at it with her bare hands. An irrational sound escaped her throat, working its way down into the most frigid hearts and pulling at least mote of sympathy from each. Pages fluttered from dismembered books, blanketing the scene in salt-and-pepper snow.   
  
  
  
No one could speak. Zim squeezed Lynne's arm, AF buried her face in Purple's unconscious shoulder, and Jendai encircled Bast in as much comfort as he could provide. How many more of them were to be lost to this tomb tonight? How many nightmares would they all have to endure before they could escape into the safety of the downtown area? Pickpockets, emaciated hookers and those whose only relative joy came from the use of drugs or alcohol seemed to be the least of the evils this night had to offer. Hope was distant, glittering star in a sea of churning black darkness, seen every now and then only to vanish back down into immeasurable depths. No one could move. They were too frozen, trying to focus on each other, trying in vain to pluck the faintest sheen of hope from ruin.   
  
  
  
Paper rustled. It fell from the rising form of a child, drifting down onto the floor after spiraling up in a puff from her movements. Her green eyes gave off a dull glitter. Even Tabby stopped moving to watch her. Something about the simple gesture of standing attracted the attention over all parties in the room. She took a few quiet steps, her antennae flat against her head, towards the back of the library.   
  
  
  
"We have to open the door."  
  
  
  
The pure ring of the child's voice, unmarred by its usual slur of youth, brought the room to full attention. Purpose had filled her face and it frightened them. Those who knew her dearly were stunned by the lack of tears, the lack of anything they had expected her to do. This place, it seemed, left nothing and no one unchanged. She walked, unchallenged, to the back of the room, her gaze riveted to the huge grandfather clock that dominated the space next to the fireplace where Aubri had made his vain attempt at an escape. Upon reaching it, she turned, staring back at them, her gaze imploring them to follow her.   
  
  
  
They stumbled behind, their strides far less confident and sure than hers had been. Not wanting to leave him at the mercy of the creatures behind the library door, Tabby herself lifted the heavy body of Red and bore him back without a word to anyone. The shotgun was clasped in one hand, replacing the lost scissors. JC aided her smaller friend in carrying the still-unconscious Purple. The rest shuffled after them, glancing around with gazes that were both superstitious and fearful. Only Lynne remained behind, mumbling terrified words about a door. It was only when Zim came to her and, taking her hand, led her towards their destination that she quieted.   
  
  
  
"You have to set the clock," came another clear, childish command. "To the thirty-third minute of the third hour…"   
  
  
  
"3:33?"  
  
  
  
Heads turned. Eyes bore holes into AF, questioning. She flushed, unable to speak at such scrutiny. Ivy merely nodded, mutely pointing at the clock to illustrate that she lacked the height required to adjust the hands. A hesitant Lynne came forward. Her hands shook as she reached to touch the elegant black hands of the clock, permanently frozen at either noon or midnight.   
  
  
  
Somehow, she knew it was midnight they pointed to.  
  
  
  
Behind her, she heard the sharp tap of Zim's boots on the floor as he paced, carrying the gun Red had dropped. It was the only real protection any of them had. Jendai stood behind him, convulsively flexing his fingers, the only sound from him being the nervous rustle of cloth. The rest were silent, staring at Lynne's pale fingers. She cautiously twirled the hour hand around to rest on the Roman numeral three. The minute hand followed suit, this one landing on a few dots past the six. For a long while, she waited, breathless, awaiting a conformation from anyone; a conformation that did not arrive. Air escaped heaving lungs. She felt tense muscles relax faintly as nothing rotting leaped from the clock's inner workings to devour her while her heart still beat.   
  
  
  
However, this was a sentiment not shared by those around her. She turned to face them, curious. When she saw what it was they stared at, she could have laughed. This was something at least one of them should have foreseen. After all, this place had everything else—monsters, ghosts, and invisible speakers—why shouldn't it have a secret passageway?  
  
  
  
It was dark, but made out of the same mundane wood as the rest of the house. Bast advanced, squinting into the gloom. "I can't see where it leads," she said.  
  
  
  
"We should probably leave it alone then," Dib muttered, glancing warily down the dark passage. "Who knows where it goes?"  
  
  
  
Bast sighed, turning to Ivy. "Why do you want us to go this way, Ivy?" she asked. Getting no answer, she frowned. "Ivy? Can you hear me? Are you okay?"   
  
  
  
As she finished speaking, a burning sphere appeared above her head, wavering slightly in the air. She jumped back with a yelp. Others moved forward to assist, although what they could do against fire without its opposite was a mystery. JC, by rummaging through Dib's bag frantically, had come across a water bottle. She took careful aim and began to use it as one would use a squirtgun. The ball danced nimbly out of harm's way. She cursed. Zim was about to launch a vase at it when another voice cut him off.   
  
  
  
"Calm down I said! Geez! Does ANYONE listen to me anymore?" AF barked, pushing her way through them, towards Bast. Irritation had vanquished fear momentarily. "If it was evil, wouldn't it have got you already?" Another fireball appeared, this one hovering obediently over the girl's open palm. They relaxed slightly. AF's power over flame had been forgotten in the panic that had gripped them all, as had their own abilities. "You want light. We have light."  
  
  
  
Tabby shifted Red on her shoulder. "I'm still not sure about this…" she said, glaring at nothing in particular. She stole a glance at Ivy, but whatever will had taken hold in the child, it was gone now, and she shivered against the wall.   
  
  
  
"Hmpf! Pitiful humans and your fear of darkness!" Zim snapped, shouldering the rifle. "If you all are so hideously afraid of none-existent things that supposedly loom in the darkness, then you may stay behind and look out for the dead. Zim shall investigate this passage."   
  
  
  
"Oh! That's nice! Coming from a mighty 'Invader' that ran screaming for his mother!" Dib retorted, shouldering his bag. "If anyone should investigate this, it should be someone who has expertise in this area!"  
  
  
  
A stifled chuckle came from Zim. "Well then, Dib. Seeing as we currently LACK any semblance of an expert in any sort—"  
  
  
  
Bast cut him off. "Look, guys, we do NOT need this right now," she reprimanded, stepping between them. "If you honestly can't decide, I'll go first." With that, she strode into the darkness, fireballs drifting after her.   
  
  
  
The two antagonists stared, open mouthed, at her retreating back. AF followed her friend, a blissfully unconscious Purple suspended between her and JC. Behind her came Tabby, carting Red's body. Blatantly ignoring Dib, Zim extended a hand to Lynne, and led her down the passage, worrying inwardly over the chill in her fingers. He would never allow it to come to the surface in the presence of danger and his mortal enemy. Dib returned the gesture, pulling a thermal scanner out of his bag, waving it around the passage. He was not the slightest bit concerned, as, to him, this was nothing more than another bizarre investigation, something he'd only read about.   
  
  
  
Ivy stood against the wall for a long time, staring into the darkness. She didn't move. After long moments, Jendai took her in his arms, cradling her against whatever fear had taken root. She did not appear to notice the mechanic, which was concerning. "You okay, Ivy?" he asked gently. "Pur's going to be fine. He's just fainted…" He didn't broach the subject of Red to her.   
  
  
  
She looked at him, finally, her wide green eyes haunted by something he couldn't see. Her mouth moved, forming words he had to strain to hear. As she spoke, any emotion that had been lurking in the jade depths of her eyes fled, taking refuge in any places of light that lingered in the room.  
  
  
  
"The Liche is here. With the Darkness… Covered in death… it's all so dark... I can't see…"  
  
  
  
Suppressing a shiver of irrational fear, Jendai hurried into the passage after Bast, ignoring the trembling of the form in his arms.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"No place EVER has kazoos! It's just not fair!"  
  
  
  
Kidk sighed. As much as she loved spending time with Kat, the girl's overwhelmingly lively personality got on her nerves after a long day. After picking Kat up from the airport, the two had spent the day drifting in and out of various music shops in town. She shifted the bag of sheet music to her other hand. Good, cheap books of the beautiful songs were so hard to find, and she and Kat had scoured the city for ones that met their financial means. Yet, Kat had become distracted from their original purpose. She'd begun a single-minded pursuit of kazoos, and, unfortunately for Kidk, no store seemed to want to stock them.   
  
  
  
She pushed the door open, letting the night's cool breeze wash over her face. All her worries, the deep, dark pulsing doubts, were washed away at the touch of the wind and the sight of the huge, cold moon. Reluctantly, she turned back into the yellow fluorescence that lit the interior of the instrument store. "Kat!" she called. "The store's closing! We need to get you home!"  
  
  
  
No response, save the sound of rummaging from somewhere inside.  
  
  
  
"Kat!" she tried again. "We can stop and get tacos or something!"  
  
  
  
A pause. "Chicken tacos?"  
  
  
  
"Sure…"  
  
  
  
That got the girl's attention. Without much warning, Kat blazed through the shop, startling the otherwise bored clerk, a bulging bag of previous purchases in her hands. A Celtic cross necklace banged against her tie-dyed T-shirt. Her black pants were stained with dust from kneeling on countless store floors. Unlike Kidk's neat blonde ponytail, Kat's dark hair flew around her head in a frizzy halo. "Okay!" she exclaimed, eyes lighting up. "I'm STARVING."   
  
  
  
Kidk smiled. "Let's go then. You ready?"   
  
  
  
Kat nodded. "I gots a lot of things for Megacookie and Gremlin from the circus! They need some excitement, being cooped up all day."  
  
  
  
She was referring to Zim's house's main computer system—Gremlin—and an old experiment of hers—Megacookie. Kat took care of them as if they were related to her, almost as if they were her younger siblings. Her compassion made Kidk grin wider, despite the cold settling into her bones.   
  
  
  
Heading for her line-green Volkswagen beetle, Kidk pulled her black trenchcoat tighter around herself, pulling her keys from her pocket. A chill had swept up out of nowhere, almost unnatural in its swift onset. Her breath fogged on the glass as she opened the driver's side and unlocked it for Kat. The other girl bounced in, giggling at the shapes she could make in the frosted windows. Her chattering teeth betrayed her chill, so Kidk turned up the heater as fast as possible.   
  
  
  
Something besides the cold was making her wary. An ominous feeling lingered in the air, as if something were watching her, just beyond the edges of her perception. A shudder rose in her that could not be repressed. She drove for home, setting her jaw. It had to be her imagination. Her mind was playing tricks on her.   
  
  
  
"You okay?"  
  
  
  
Kat's voice snapped her back to reality. "Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm okay." She frowned. "Why?"  
  
  
  
"'Cuz you just passed the taco place…"  
  
  
  
Kidk rubbed her forehead. "Sorry, Kat," she mumbled. "I'm just… distracted. Maybe tomorrow…? I think I need more sleep."  
  
  
  
"Aw, that's fine! I'm sure GIR has some tacos lying around." Kat flashed her a bright smile before turning to a book of ocarina finger positions.   
  
  
  
However, Kidk could not, for the life of her, shake the feeling that something was horribly, horribly wrong. She switched on the radio, hoping there would be some soothingly familiar tune to calm her. However, nothing but static aired. Kidk frowned. That was odd. She'd driven through this part of town hundreds of times, yet the radio had always managed to blare away with crystal clarity. Maybe her antennae had iced over, or the cold had done some other internal damage to the workings of her car. She determined that it absolutely had to be one of those logical explanations, but part of her kept eating at that piece of sanity, warning her.  
  
  
  
Maybe it was something more sinister affecting the airwaves…  
  
  
  
"What's wrong with the radio?" Kat asked, reaching down to fiddle with the dials. "Are we being abducted by Zim again?"   
  
  
  
Suddenly fearful, Kidk snapped the radio off, not answering her friend. There was silence in the car for a while, as sickly yellow streetlamps plunged the interior in and out of darkness. Despite the heaters, cold seeped in through every crack in the doors. Finally, Kidk spoke up. "Who was picking you up originally? I mean, not that I mind… But… I'm just curious."  
  
  
  
Kat thought a moment. "I think… Jendai was. His death-truck is FUN!" Her smile faded. "But, he didn't come. And then, when I called, Gremlin said they'd been gone since noon." She shifted nervously. "Then I called Dib, to tell him I was back, and his scary sister said he'd been gone all day too… she sounded happy about it, so I got kinda worried…"  
  
  
  
"Really? Everyone's been out? All day?" Kidk asked, fighting to keep the rising tide of fear in check. "Did they say where?"  
  
  
  
The other girl shook her head. "Nope… Gremlin didn't know and Gaz said she didn't care." She chewed on her fingernails.  
  
  
  
After a moment of hesitation, she turned left onto the cull-de-sack, and drove towards the glowing green house at the end. Urgency filled her. It didn't help, as she drove closer, to note that Jendai's battered and rusty pickup was absent from the driveway. So Kat was right. They were gone. Or maybe they'd come back while she and Kat were out, and Jendai had left to pick up Kat. She stopped the car, her heart racing, and dashed for the door. Dimly, she could hear Kat calling out for her. She didn't stop, couldn't stop. She had to know.   
  
  
  
She couldn't even recall opening the door. She blinked, and she was in the house, Kat bounding after her. The air around was frigid, as if no one had bothered to heat it in a long while. It was dark, the lights off since the sun's safe rays filtered in through the windows during the day. It took her a moment to adjust as Kat flicked on the light switch next to the door. Nothing was turned on, not the TV, not the blender, nothing.   
  
  
  
Loneliness swept over her. She staggered backwards under the wash of the feeling of abandonment. They had left her. Left her here alone. She felt Kat catch her, support her against the swirling wraith that threatened to emerge from the back of her mind, devouring her. Yet Kat's presence refused to register in her mind. Why had they left her? Didn't they know she needed them… all of them…?  
  
  
  
"Kidk?" Kat cried. "Kidk are you okay!? Say something!"  
  
  
  
It was then a movement in the dark kitchen caught her eye. Hope kindled. Someone was here! Someone was here for her! She struggled to sit up, staring into the black void of the kitchen. "Kat…" she choked out against tears she didn't know she was crying. "Kat there's… someone's there…!"  
  
  
  
She felt Kat tense; something which surprised her. Kat was fearless, at least in Kidk's experience. Something that could frighten Kat was something neither of them had encountered before. Fear settled into the ashes of hope as Kidk grabbed her friend's hand.   
  
  
  
"Who's there?" Kat demanded, looking around for the nearest heavy object. The phone clattered to the floor as she yanked the small table out from under it. She brandished it like a lion-tamer's chair. "Show yourself!"  
  
  
  
There was no movement, only the soft sound of pained breath.   
  
  
  
"Get out here where we can see you!" She sounded fearless, but the grip on Kidk's hand betrayed her. "We're armed! We'll sic Gremlin on you!" Her voice shook. Shakily, Kidk stood, gripping Kat's arm with all her might.   
  
  
  
It was then the figure stepped hesitantly into the light, blood dripping from cuts onto the tile floor of the living room. Both girls took an involuntary step back. A gasp escaped them in unison. This was not what any of them had expected, not in any of their wildest dreams and flights of fantasy. So great was Kidk's horror that she could only utter a single word; but it was enough.  
  
"Aubri!?" 


End file.
